Stories about Caribbean from November, 2011
Cuba: Under “Survey-lance”
“As far as many Cubans here are concerned, it is not necessary to have survey results to verify the high levels of discontent and uncertainty we live under”: Without Evasion explains why she's sceptical of surveys.
Trinidad & Tobago: Impressed with Miss Miles
Dingolay reviews the new play about Gene Miles (a whistleblower for a political corruption scandal in the 1960s, who subsequently became a social outcast), admitting she was “a bit chilled by the fact that what happened to Gene Miles could happen again today, woman PM or no.”
Barbados: The Pride of Independence
Barbadian bloggers post their Independence Day greetings, here, here, here and here.
Bermuda: Public Debate about Crime Reduction Methods?
Respice Finem examines the sensitive issue of the Bermuda police's “stop and search” policy as part of their crime reduction arsenal, saying that the concern of “those advocating caution…is that in our quest to significantly reduce crime…we do not sacrifice the liberties so many fought for for so long.”
Jamaica: First Afro Chess Grandmaster
Diaspora litblogger Geoffrey Philp republishes an interview with Maurice Ashley, “the Jamaica-born Grandmaster of Chess”.
Trinidad & Tobago: Online Safety
Mark Lyndersay writes an enlightening post about online child safety, here.
Cuba: Mariela's Red Light Comment
Ernesto Morales Licea takes issue with Mariela Castro's now infamous statement to Radio Netherlands during her visit to Amsterdam's Red Light District.
St. Lucia: Looking Good for St. Lucia Labour Party
Caribbean-American Forum says that incoming results point to the likelihood that opposition leader Dr. Kenny Anthony has led the St. Lucia Labour Party to a sweeping victory in the country's recent general election.
Barbados: Response to Crime Affecting Tourism?
Barbados Free Press questions the role of the local police “in what has become an all-too-familiar story of covering up crime against tourists.”
Jamaica: Sabina Park & Lawrence Rowe
Active Voice gives a Twitter follower a tour of Jamaica's famous Sabina Park, and makes a plea for the powers-that-be to bring back the Lawrence Rowe Players Pavilion.
Guyana: Calling Violence Against Women by Name
CODE RED “felt very frustrated yesterday when someone told [her] that to say ‘violence against women’ is discriminatory, that it should be called ‘relationship violence'”, explaining: “There are a range of gendered ways in which women are targeted for violence, not all of which are ‘domestic’. Erasing the language feminists...
Trinidad & Tobago: Assassination Claim Red Herring?
Trinidadian bloggers weigh in on news of the alleged assassination plot against the Prime Minister, here, here and here.
Cuba: Entrepreneurship & Home Ownership
Generation Y wonders whether the country's new wave of entrepreneurs will survive, while Laritza's Laws is concerned that “the housing regulations, recently enacted by the government of Cuba…leave intact regulations that impede the full exercise of the right of ownership.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Blogging Tips
TECHTT has some advice for blogging, here.
Jamaica: Bad Medicine?
The Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica and the government are at loggerheads following an interview in which the President of the association expressed concern about “the acute shortage of qualified pharmacists in the system”. She was sent on half-pay leave soon after. Active Voice says: “We await further developments with bated...
Guyana: Election Day
Guyana: Freedom Under The Law asks his compatriots to “VOTE intelligently on issues and right reason NOT RACE” in today's elections, while Guyana-Gyal explains why, despite the “thin thread o’ fear been tightening ‘round town since election date announce”, she isn't scared.
Trinidad & Tobago: Men and their Role
“International Men's Day kind of came and went without much fanfare here, even though the darn thing was actually ‘inaugurated in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago'”, says West Indian Mother, who wonders whether “we [are] denying good men their role.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Anya's Section Launch
The rumour turns out to be true: Trinidad Carnival Diary says that designer Anya Ayoung-Chee's section in the Carnival band TRIBE's 2012 offering launches tonight.
Bahamas: Male Violence Against Women
Womanish Words would like the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to be called what it really is – the International Day for the Elimination of Male Violence Against Women, and posts a rant poem in an “honest attempt to contribute to the naming and defining of...
Trinidad & Tobago: Netizens Sceptical about Assassination Plot
“It seemed that the majority of online readers, if you read the comments following the Express’ first article on the alleged assassination threats, chose not to believe the government of Trinidad and Tobago”: Guanaguanare thinks that “the lack of evidence helped to destroy the credibility of this latest threat to...
Cuba: News, 24/7
Cuba will apparently soon have a 24-hour news channel; Regina Coyula says: “Despite so much supposed information, we are the most disinformed people in the world.”
About our Caribbean coverage
Janine Mendes Franco is the Caribbean editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
